News

MANCHESTER, NH = Madelyn Fosen of Whitewater (53190) has been named to Southern New Hampshire University‘s (SNHU) Fall 2024 President’s List. The fall terms run from September to December.

Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the President’s List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with a 92-year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 200,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers approximately 200 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, available online and on its 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH. Recognized as one of the “Most Innovative” regional universities by U.S. News & World Report and one of the fastest-growing universities in the country, SNHU is committed to expanding access to high quality, affordable pathways that meet the needs of each learner.

Congratulations Silvia Harris, Lucy Davis, Margaret Brown, and Grace Coleman for being selected to represent Whitewater High School at Badger Girls State in 2025! 

Badger Girls State is a program designed to develop leadership skills in high school students and train future stateswomen in the science of government. The program will be held at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh from June 15-20. Participants are chosen for their interest in the American Government and their outstanding qualities of leadership, character, cooperativeness, dependability, and participation in extracurricular activities. Thank you to the Whitewater American Legion and Whitewater Rotary Club for sponsoring our awesome delegates again this year! Congratulations!

As was previously announced on the Banner, on October 23 Laura Masbruch was surprised to learn at an all-school assembly that she had been honored with WI Most Valuable Educator Award from TDS Telecom. Masbruch was informed that TDS would be treating her to two tickets to a Packer game as well as the opportunity for around 25 students to travel with her to Lambeau on a charter bus for a tour with a Packers alum and lunch.

“Part I” of the Packers connection took place on January 5. Laura told The Whitewater Banner that she and her sister Jane “were treated to an experience…that included an indoor all you could eat/drink tailgate party, sideline passes for the pre-game warm-ups, and seats on the 50-yard line. TDS also sent us some Packer gear.”

The high school staff decided that the “Part II” trip would be one of the incentives to encourage students to maintain good attendance. The trip will be hosted by Masbruch on February 20.

Kate McNulty, WHS associate principal, told The Banner, “In line with our district goals, we are working to improve overall attendance and decrease habitual absenteeism. At WHS, our attendance goal for the 2024-25 school year is 95%. Last year our goal was 92% and we hit it easily, so we decided to increase it for this year. As a part of that goal, we are having a monthly incentive drawing for students who have [at least a] 95% attendance rate. Each month we’ve done different rewards for the drawings from lunch on us (we order pizza or subs), t-shirts, and special lunch privileges. As for the Packer fieldtrip, students who maintained a 95% attendance rate for the entire 1st semester will have that as an option to select. 

We did hold a 95% attendance rate in September, October, and November but unfortunately due to lots of illness, we did dip to a little below 93% in December. The incentives alone are not to credit for this. Additionally, we are making a concerted effort to remind students and families about the value of attendance by regularly sharing Attendance Matters information through our webpage and parent newsletter.  Additionally, we host bi-weekly meetings with the Student Services team to discuss attendance issues and monthly we have a district attendance task force consisting of leadership from each building that meets to problem solve challenges and develop consistent practices.”

This past weekend 4 WHS students, Ayden Clark, Alex Clarksen, Sam Nickelsburg, and Willow Vogelzang, performed in the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association (WCDA) All State Treble Choir and All State Bass Choir. The students had the opportunity to work with some of the best college choral directors from across the country and attend performances of other WCDA honors choirs featured at the conference including the world-famous Latvian youth choir BALSIS. Student expressed how inspiring and motivational the experience was, and how they never wanted to leave. Here are two short clips, one for each choir.

Article and Videos Submitted by MacKenzie Gehrke
Whitewater High School Vocal Music Teacher
gehma01@wwusd.org

Join us for an Open House for our NEW Assisted Living on Wednesday, January 15^th from 4:00-6:00 pm. The response from those already on our 4th Floor has been amazing and we’re looking forward to seeing who is next to join the Fairhaven Family!

For more information contact Brian Robinson, robinsonb@fairhaven.org or 262-473-2140.

Fairhaven, 435 W. Starin Road, Whitewater

The Whitewater Unified School District School Board has approved a $30 million capital referendum question that will appear on the ballot Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

If approved by voters, the referendum will fund a series of improvement projects across the district’s schools. This includes replacing outdated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; repairing roofs; upgrading electrical and plumbing systems; replacing windows; enhancing safety and security; updating the high school auditorium; updating the auditorium space; and expanding/improving the Career and Technical Education space.

“Whitewater schools are known for providing students with an exceptional learning environment that supports their growth and potential,” said Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty, Superintendent. “While we address facility and maintenance needs where we can, some projects exceed what our operational budget can support. This is why we will be engaging with community members about the ways a capital referendum could position WUSD for continued success.”

WUSD partnered with Bray Architects to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its facilities, identifying priority areas for improvement. The full facility report is available at https://bit.ly/WUSDfacilities.

If the referendum is approved, the projected tax impact for the 2025-26 school year would be $.47 per $1,000 of estimated fair market value for a home within the district. For a home assessed at $300,000, this would result in an increase of $141 per year ($11.75 per month).

A fall survey, conducted by an independent firm and garnering 832 responses, found that 69% of WUSD parents residing in the district said they would definitely or probably support a $32 million capital referendum. Support for a referendum among respondents who are not parents or staff was at 43%. Voter approval of at least 50% is necessary for capital referendums to be approved.

The district will share more information about its facility needs and the proposed solution in the weeks ahead. This will include a webpage featuring answers to frequently asked questions.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will host the first-ever Youth Safety Summit on February 20-21, 2025, at Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

For more than 50 years, the UW-Whitewater’s Continuing Education Services (CES) department has offered athletic, arts, academic and enrichment programs for youth. In recent years, CES has prioritized protecting and empowering youth in their camps, clinics, and events, and now leads the way in sharing expertise.

The Youth Safety Summit is offered by UW-Whitewater in partnership with Tree House Child and Family Center, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Universities of Wisconsin.  Session presenters include experts from all organizations, and those from legal, mental health, and substance abuse fields.

“Protecting young people, in our community, and all educational and recreational settings – especially rural and under-resourced K-12 and nonprofit organizations – is of the utmost importance,” said Corey King, chancellor at UW-Whitewater. “We must continually review, assess, and adapt our practices to stay at the forefront of youth safety. Our local partnership with Tree House Child and Family Center makes important events like this summit possible.”

The Youth Safety Summit was developed to bring experts and innovative strategies to the people who work with kids in all different settings and situations. Critical topics such as mental health awareness, digital safety, and emergency preparedness are some of the topics that will be covered.  Staff at school districts and youth-serving organizations are encouraged to attend this pioneering event to strengthen our shared commitment to the well-being of the youngest members of our communities.

Staff from the Badgerland Council of Girl Scouts will be attending the summit in February. 

“I know the interactive sessions and case studies at the summit will help staff build practical skills, like conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and responding to safety concerns in a proactive and culturally competent manner,” said Nick Harnish, director of education at Badgerland Council. “The team will have the opportunity to connect with other organizations and broaden our network, potentially leading to collaborations, shared resources, and innovative ideas for promoting youth safety.”

On Thursday, Feb. 20, youth leaders are invited to a pre-conference on youth mental health first aid during the morning session. The program is designed for adults who regularly interact with young people, giving them a 5-step action plan for how to help youth in crisis and non-crisis situations. Participants who successfully complete the pre-work and conference session will be certified in youth mental health first aid through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

The main conference begins Thursday afternoon and continues through Friday, Feb. 21. The summit will feature a keynote address on peer-to-peer abuse by Glen Pounder, the Chief Safeguarding Officer for Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts). Additional session topics include navigating legal landscapes, responding to child abuse disclosures, and signs of child maltreatment.

Further information about the Youth Safety Summit may be found here. Registration is open at that site until February 13.

About Warhawk Camps

Since 1973, Continuing Education Services has hosted summer camps and clinics on the Whitewater and Rock County campuses. In 2023, more than 6,700 people experienced summer programming, breaking past participation records. Athletic, academic, arts, and enrichment programs are offered every summer for lifelong learners of all ages, in state-of-the-art facilities, with inclusivity, belonging, and safety as core priorities.

Registration for UW-Whitewater’s youth summer camps — where youth protection is a priority — is now open for more than 70 #WarhawkCamps. Children of all ages and abilities are welcome for summer programs ranging from game development to gymnastics, from band to basketball. For more information, visit www.uww.edu/ce/camps/.

About UW-Whitewater

At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater we inspire, engage and transform lives. Our higher education mission began more than 150 years ago — and we now serve more than 11,000 students at our Whitewater and Rock County campuses, 90% of whom stay in the region after earning their degree.  More than 170 undergraduate and graduate majors and minors are offered as well as an education specialist and a doctoral degree. The Warhawk family — led by caring faculty and staff — is devoted to student success within a broad range of academic programs. One of only four Public Colleges of Distinction in the state, the university boasts small class sizes (20:1 ratio), is ranked one of the top public universities in the Midwest by the U.S. News & World Report and is the top-ranked college in the state for serving students with disabilities.

Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the home page by Ortrun Lenz from Pixabay.

NEW WILMINGTON, PA – Amber Krebs of Whitewater (53190), Wis., was among 345 students named to the Westminster College’s Dean’s List for the fall 2024 semester.

Krebs, majoring in Psychology, is a Whitewater High School graduate.

To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a GPA of 3.6 or higher.

About Westminster College: Westminster College is nationally known for its collaborative environment, outstanding experiential learning programs, focus on student success, and the effort invested in making higher education affordable and attainable to all students. Established in 1852, Westminster is proud to be the first college in the country open to all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sex or religion from its founding charter by the Presbyterian Church (USA).